


The Real Gift

by FanFicBias



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Abuse, Bi-Curiosity, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexuality, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Female-Centric, Feminist Themes, First Meetings, Interspecies Romance, Non-Canon Relationship, POV Female Character, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:21:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22221712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanFicBias/pseuds/FanFicBias
Summary: Kes and Seven of Nine meet for the first time. They find out that they have more in common than they might think, and share a moment.Set a bit later in the Laying Down the Oar series, but before A Defective Circuit.
Relationships: Kes/Seven of Nine
Kudos: 7





	The Real Gift

“State your identity,” Seven said when she saw someone new enter sickbay.

“Pardon? Oh. I’m Kes! Hi!”

“Species unknown. Strange. You were the mate of Mr. Neelix? I heard crewmembers talking about you, and then cease communications when I entered the room so my information is incomplete.”

“Why are you in sickbay?” Kes said, feeling a little bewildered and off-balance.

“I am simply doing a diagnostic on my nanites after my kidnapping some weeks ago to make sure there are no other surprises from Mr. Neelix.”

Kes winced for a second time when the other woman said his name.

“Curious. I was unconscious for some time and have not yet been briefed by the crew on current events. State what has happened to you over the last 6 months, including up to the present day.”

Kes widened her eyes a bit at this and then put a hand over her mouth and giggled a bit.

“OK, I see. You’re just blunt, not mean. I get it.”

“Mean? Meanness is-” However, Seven stopped herself. She sighed.

“Among humans, perhaps meanness isn’t irrelevant. We did not bother with such things.”

“We?” Curious, Kes took a few steps closer to Seven. The tall woman flinched a bit at the smaller Ocampan’s approach but steeled herself to quit such weak behavior.

Kes stepped a bit closer to look at Seven’s implants.

“Interesting. None of my other crewmates bothered with such behavior. What makes you different?” Seven demanded.

“Just curious I guess,” She said.

“An admirable quality. I have noticed that you are not answering my other questions.”

“Whoa. You’re a bit intense, aren’t you! Sorry!” Kes said, off the cuff. Her eyes widened a bit when she realized what she just said. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“Intensity is more efficient. And you did not offend me,” Seven said, with finality.

“Oh,” She said, breathing a little bit. Seven took a few steps forward, cutting the distance between them to inches.

“You will answer my questions,” She said.

Kes’ eyes got huge and she retreated to the other side of a sickbed, looking down at herself as if not realizing what she just did.

“I have offended you,” Seven said immediately. “I am severely deficient at human intercommunications.”

Kes had wild eyes still but started to take a few deep breaths.

“No, it’s not that. I think I’m just getting used to you. Can you stay on the other side for now? I’m a little… well, on edge? Since you know, Neelix.”

“An excellent suggestion. I need the information you have, so I will wait until you are ready, if that is acceptable.”

“Yes! I mean, thank you!”

Seven forced herself to sit down on a table one away from where Kes was, her eyes intent on the smaller woman.

It’s like she’s so desperate for information she can’t wait for other people to tell her things, Kes thought.

For a moment, Kes even thought she could sense Seven’s thoughts, but they were unbearably loud, so Kes turned down the dial and didn’t try to look.

It’s almost a relief though, Kes thought. It’s like she has no motive but to understand. 

“Right, OK. Questions. Let’s start again maybe? I’m Kes!” She waved, and Seven returned the gesture after a moment.

“You asked about my race. I’m Ocampan!”

“Since I am no longer connected to the collective, I will categorize you as species 10096. Describe your physical and technological capabilities,” Seven said. Finally adding, “Please.”

Kes had to laugh at that.

“Well, I don’t actually know to be honest! I can move things with my mind sometimes. I have a perfect memory. Sometimes I can even do other things too.”

“Explain,” Seven said, so Kes did. The whole “travel through space without a ship” thing was one that particularly made those eyebrows rise.

“You are. Extraordinary,” Seven said, after searching for the right word.

“Well, I don’t know about that. The other thing to know about Ocampa is that we live for less than ten years.”

“Impossible,” Seven said immediately.

“Um?” Kes said, trying to resist the urge to hide behind another bed.

“Apologies,” Seven said. The smaller woman was shaking and had not said anything in several seconds. This often indicated fear and confusion in humans, she had noticed.

“Correction. I do not mean that I believe you are lying to me. I am merely pointing out that this characteristic is highly improbable from the standpoint of evolution.”

Internally, Seven committed the description to her implants for later use-

Ocampa, Species 10096. Humanoid in appearance with ear folds over external auditory canal. Severe senescent cellular damage shortens life span to ten years. Psychic abilities beyond all known other species including precognition, eidetic memory, telekinesis, and subatomic control of matter.Genetic manipulation by another race highly likely. Worthiness for Assimilation undetermined.

“I don’t know what you’re saying,” Kes said.

“I should not have said anything,” Seven said. “It requires more thought and study.”

“Okay,” Kes said, forcing herself to calm down again.

“You are exhibiting signs of distress. My fault?” Seven inquired.

“No, it’s OK,” Kes said.

“You also asked about Neelix, about what’s happened,” Kes said, after a moment.

“Yes.”

Kes told the strange woman what had happened.

Seven responded with her own story.

“I should have terminated him when we first met. I knew him to be irrational and aggressive.”

Kes laughed, lifting an eyebrow at that.

“I should be horrified,” Kes said. “That’s a terrible thing to say.”

“Of course I could not have done so,” Seven said as she saw that Kes actually started to look even more distressed, her heartrate elevating when it became obvious that Seven wasn’t kidding.

She went back to laughing though, just for a moment, and then she turned dark, looking away from Seven.

“He has damaged you,” Seven said.

“Yes, but I’m nearly healed, that’s why I came to sickbay, actually, it’s just that The Doctor isn’t in right now.”

“No, that is not what I meant.” She held herself a little straight and looked right at Kes, who met her gaze this time.

“He has damaged you. I do not know the right words. I was damaged as well. By the Borg collective. We- They, changed me. Took away my choices. Made me forget. Forget- I do not know how to-“

“Forget your humanity,” Kes said, making Seven’s eyes widen a bit in surprise. 

Kes felt like she could hear the imposing woman now, so loud they were unavoidable. It was almost like Seven’s thoughts were becoming visible around her tall body.

“They started with your eye first, took it right out of your socket while you watched, paralyzed.”

Seven suddenly felt strange. Confused, she looked down at her hand. It was shaking. She then felt moisture in her face and some on her hand.

“My lubricant system is malfunctioning,” She said, irritated.

“You’re crying,” Kes said softly. She was quietly making her way back around the bed now.

Seven found she was taking deep heaving breaths on the bed and that she felt lightheaded.

“It’s OK, we don’t have to talk about it anymore right now,” Kes said, smiling at her. She made her way toward the bed and sat down next to Seven.

She pointed towards the bit of metal around Seven’s eye.

“Does it hurt?” She asked.

“No. It does not.”

“May I touch it? Sorry, I’m getting curious! I’ve been studying medicine, at least I was until-“

“Yes, you may inspect it with your tactile senses, if you wish.”

Kes traced the implant around Seven’s eye with her finger, curiously.

“I like it,” she said, finally. “It suits you.”

“Really?” Seven said, arching an eyebrow. She was still breathing fast for some reason, but not wasting lubricant anymore.

“Others have found it strange that I would keep it, even when I am capable of taking it out.”

“Not me,” She said, shaking her head a little.

Seven took a moment to compose herself, feel frustration at not knowing what was happening to her.  
“My crewmates told me little of your interaction with Mr. Neelix, but I wish to understand it.”

Kes looked away.

“He is my mate,” She said.

“You mean he was your mate,” Seven said.

Kes did her best to turn her head and catch just a little of Seven’s gaze.

“Is. Ocampa mate for life.”

“I see. That will make it awkward when I kill him,” She said.

Kes stared at her and couldn’t help laughing again.

What was wrong with her? The emotions boiled in her head and she didn’t know what she was feeling anymore.

They sat there a while, saying the usual things you say when you first meet someone until The Doctor came back from wherever he had gone.

Kes had trouble concentrating on what the EMH was saying though.

She was so full of questions now!


End file.
